Wicked Wellingborough carer stole from vulnerable disabled man

A heartless carer from Wellingborough stole almost £2,500 from a vulnerable disabled man she was supposed to be looking after.

Brenda Whittick, 56, frequently visited the wheelchair-bound multiple sclerosis sufferer and provided one-to-one care, as well as helping managing his finances.

But over the course of three months she skimmed off cash in nine transactions to pay off her own debts after taking out payday loans.

Her cruel actions saw her jailed for three months at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday).

Whittick, of Masefield Close, was employed as a carer by Olympus Care Services, a company owned by Northamptonshire County Council.

She cared for people with disabilities including the victim, who needed help with personal care, and the pair formed a positive bond.

Part of her job was to take him to the bank to withdraw cash, which would be put in a tin and logged so his finances could be tracked.

But between May and August last year Whittick stole a total of £2,450. On two occasions she withdrew cash for him but didn't put the full amount in the tin.

And on seven other occasions she used his card to help herself to cash from an ATM.

Prosecuting, Phillip Plant said: "She placed his wheelchair in such a way so that he could not see the cash machine."

Her criminal activity started to unravel when the manager of a care home looked at the victim's bank statement and noticed a pattern of withdrawals which he hadn't consented to.

Each transaction was on the days Whittick had cared for him and an investigation was opened, but his carer denied doing anything wrong.

She was arrested and gave no comment answers before admitting her sickening actions to a friend who she worked alongside.

The court heard the victim's physical health had declined since the incident, although a judge said he was unable to attribute Whittick's crime as the cause, but that it had affected his mental health.

Mr Plant said: "He feels let down and low.

"He's been referred for counselling but due to Covid-19 it's on hold."

The court heard Whittick, who admitted fraud by false representation and theft, had racked up debts and had taken out payday loans, including one which charged a staggering £145 interest for a £200 loan.

Mitigating, Chantelle Stocks said: "She found herself in a hole she did not know how to get out of.

"This is not a woman who was living an extravagant lifestyle."

Whittick's criminal record included previous convictions for theft and false benefit claims. She was initially suspended before leaving her job and taking up a new role at a factory.

Ms Stocks said Whittick suffered from anxiety and depression and was "deeply remorseful".

She said: "It's cost her a job that she loved to do."

Sentencing, His Honour Judge David Herbert QC said her crimes were so serious it crossed the custody threshold - and ruled it would not be appropriate to suspend the sentence.

He said: "People who abuse the trust of vulnerable people and steal from them, working in care, must understand that when that happens...a sentence of immediate imprisonment will follow."

Whittick showed no emotion in the dock as she was led to the cells.

She will spend half of her three-month prison sentence in custody before being released on licence and will be barred from working with vulnerable adults. No orders for compensation were made.

After she was jailed, a Northamptonshire County Council spokesman said: “Ensuring the safety and welfare of our customers is always our first priority and our robust safeguarding processes meant we were able to take swift action to deal with the issue.”

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